Combined mounting for ironing boards and irons



Sept. 18, 1951 D. WOELKE 2,563,211

COMBINED MOUNTING FOR IRONING BOARDS AND IRONS Filed May 14, 1948 2Sheets-Sheet 1 TIQYA 1% INVENTOR. JZ'CK W5 eZ Z e ATTD/PA/Ey PatentedSept. 18, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,568,211 COMBINED MOUNTING-i on IRONING BOARDS AND IRONS Dick Woelke, Edna, Kans.

Application May 14, 1948, serial No. 27,126

This invention relates to a novel mounting for on ironing board and ironand more articularly to a mounting including a cabinet especiallyadapted to be disposed in a wall surface and in which the ironing boardand iron can be readily disposed when not in use.

More particularly, it is an aim of the invention to provide a novelmounting means for asso-- ciation with a wall cabinet for slidably andswingably supporting an ironing board and for siidably supporting aniron whereby the iron and ironing board may be readily moved from anested position in the wall cabinet to an extended position with respectthereto or from said ex tended position back to a nested position.

Still a further and important object of the invention is to provide anelectric circuit means in association with said mounting whereby theelectric iron will be connected with a source of electric current whenthe ironin board is moved to an extended, operative position.

A further object of the invention is to provide 9 novel latch means forholding the ironing board in an extended position and for insuringelectri cal engagement of separable contacts of the elcc= the circuittothe iron.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafterbecome more fully ap parent from the following description of thedrawings, illustratinga presently preferred ein bodirnent thereof, andwherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view showing :1 won cabinet in an openposition with the mounting means supporting the ironing board andelec-*- iron in a nested position therein;

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical sectional View of the wall cabinetshowing the mounting means, ironing board and iron in side elevationtherein cnoin a nested position;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view on an enlarged scaletaken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 1-4! ofFigure 6 and showing the ironing board in an extended position;

Figure 4' is a perspective view of one element oithe ironing board;

Figure 5 is a similar view of one element or the mounting means;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the ironing board in anextended, operative po sition;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary top plan view of a portion oi. the ironingboard and mounting means removed from the cabinet; Figure a is afragmentary perspective view or 5 Claims. (01.38-107) a portion of theironing board mounting means on an enlarged scale and shown removed fromthe cabinet;

Figure 9 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along aplane as indicated by the line 99 of Figure '7, and

Figure 10 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along a plane asindicated by the line ill-10 of Figure 9 and illustrating additionalparts including the electric iron and electric cir cuit thereof, shownpartially diagrammatic.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral l I designatesan elongated upright cabl net which is preferably adapted to be disposedin a wall surface and which is provided with an o en front [2 adapted tobe normally closed by a hingedly mounted door l3. The cabinet H isprovided with side walls l4 having correspond ingiy disposed verticallyextending grooves or channels 15 which open inwardly thereof.

The ironing board and iron mounting constituting the invention includesan arch member, designated generally l6, having corresponding bars Hforming the side legs thereof which slidably engage in the grooves orchannels l5 and a relativel heavy wire or rod l8 forming the up crosspiece of the arch l6 and which is prc video with downturned terminalswhich are an chor'edin the upper ends of the bars ll.

An ironing board I!) is provided With depend ing sides or flanges 20which depend from the side edges thereof and to which the bars [1- orthe arch (6 are pivotally connected by pintles 2i, adjacent the lowerends of said bars I! and adjacent'one end of the ironing board to. Saidend of the ironing board I 9 is provided with a depending cross flangeor end wall 22, as best seen in Figures 4', 9 and 10 having on the innerside thereof spaced contact elements 23 and 24 and spaced latch pins 25.I

A pair of braces 26 are pivotally mounted at theirl'ower ends in thelower portion of the cab!- net H on a rod 21 which is' jourrialed ina-pair of ears 28 which rise from the bottom of the cabinet II. Theopposite ends of the braces 28 are pivotally connected at theiropposite, upper ends to the sides or flanges 20 intermediate or the endsthereof, as seen at 29 to combine with the arch l6 for pivotally andslidably su porting the ironing board l9 relatively to the cabinet H.

A bar 30, also constituting a part of the mounting means, is provided onone side thereof and adjacent it's ends with conventional sliding latchbolts 3[ which, when in projected position, are adapted to engagerecesses 32 of the cabinet side walls I4 for demountably supporting thebar 30 therein rearwardly of the channels i5 and for rotatablysupporting said bar relatively to the cabinet. A pair of contractilecoil springs 33 are anchored by means of eye fastenings or othersuitable means at corresponding ends thereof to said aforementioned sideof the bar 30 and preferably slightly below the axis of the latch bolts3| and the opposite ends of said springs 33 are anchored to the underside of the ironing board 9 intermediate of its ends. As best seen inFigure 5, a pair of contact strips 34 and 35 are fastened to saidaforementioned side of the bar 30 and have free ends projecting abovethe upper side thereof. A pair of latch strips 36 are also anchored tothe aforementioned side of the bar 30 and also project above the upperside of said bar and the upper ends thereof are provided with openings31 for accommodating the latch pins 25.

As best seen in Figure 8, the rod I 8 of the arch I6 is provided with apair of hooks 38 for detachably engaging the handle of a conventionalelectric iron 39 for suspending it on the arch l6 and above the ironingboard I9. As best seen in Figure 8, a plate 40 preferably of electricalinsulating material extends across the upper side of the inner end ofthe ironing board l9 and is provided adjacent one end thereof with anelectric socket 4| to receive the plug of an electric cord 42 whichextends from the electric iron 39.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that the arch l6 willslidably and pivotally support the inner end of the ironing board l9 sothat as said arch I 6 moves upwardly in the channels l5 the inner end ofthe ironing board l9 will swing downwardly on the pivots 2| and at thesame time the braces 26 will be swinging upwardly and inwardly withrespect to the cabinet H and the ironing board |9 will be pivotingclockwise on said braces 26, as seen in Figure ,6 for moving the ironingboard |9 from its extended position of Figure 6 to its retractedposition of Figure 2. Conversely, when the arch I6 is sliding downwardlyin the channels |5 the inner endof the ironing board will be swingingoutwardly and upwardly on the pivots 2| and will be rockingcounter-clockwise, as seen in Figures 2 and 6, with respect to thebraces 26 which will be swinging outwardly with respect to the cabinetDuring all of this movement the iron 39 will be supported on the arch I6by the hooks 38 as seen in Figures 1 and 2. As the ironin board |9approaches its extended positionof Figure 6 the spring 33 will betensioned to cause the bar 36 to be yieldably urged to rockcounter-clockwise as seen in Figure 9 relatively to the cabinet so thatas the inner Wall 22 of the ironing board l9 comes torest on the upperside of the bar 30 the resilient latch strips 36 will spring intoengagement with the studs or pins 25 for locking the ironing board |9 inits extended position by engagement of the pins 25 -in-the openings 31and for also retaining the conductor strips 34 and 35 in contact withthe conductor elements 23 and 24, respectively, as illustrated in Figure10. The bar 30 is preferably provided with a handle 43 which'isconnected to the under side thereof and which can be manually engagedfor rocking said bar clockwise as seen in Figure 9 and against theaction of the springs 33 for disengaging the latch strips '36 fromthepins 25 so that the ironing board As seen in Figure 8, the strip orpanel 40 is also provided with a socket 44 containin a pilot light 45and a conventional electric switch 46.

An electrical conductor leading from a suitable source of electriccurrent, not shown, has one wire 41 thereof connected with the contact34 and its other wire 48 connected to the contact 35. An electric cordincludes a conductor 49 which is connected to the contact element 23 anda conductor 5|] which is connected to the contact 24. The conductor 49is also connected in circuit with the pilot light 45 and switch 46 andhas its opposite end connected to one contact of the socket 4I with theopposite end of the conductor 50 connected to the other contact or postof said socket 4|. Accordingly, it will be readily apparent that whenthe switch 46 is in a closed position and the contacts 23 and 34 and 24and 35 are in engagement, that an electric circuit will be completedthrough the socket 4| and electric cord 42 to the heating element of theiron 39 and the pilot light 45 also will be energized for indicatingthat the electric element of the iron 39 is energized. Thus, the iron 39may be used in a conventional manner with the ironing board l9 byremoving it from the hooks 38. To de-energize the iron 39, it is onlynecessary to operate the switch 46 and the pilot light 45 will bede-energized for indicating that the switch is in an open position.Similarly, even if the switch is in a closed position when the ironingboard I9 is movable from an extended position toward a nested positionthe contact strips, 23 and 24 will be disengaged from the contact strips34 and 35 for de-energizing the circuit to the iron 39.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously beresorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the inventionas hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A mounting for ironing boards comprising, in combination with anironing board and an upright cabinet for containing the ironing board,said cabinet including upright-side walls having opposed inwardlyopening grooves, means pivotally connected to the side edges of theironing board adjacent one end of the ironing board and slidablyengaging said grooves, a pair of braces pivotally supported at theirlower ends in" the bottom of the cabinet below said means and pivotallyconnected at their upper ends to the ironing board'intermediate of theends of the latter for causingthe other, free end of the ironing boardto swing outwardly and upwardly relatively to the cabinet as said meansslides downwardly and for causing the free end of the ironing board toswing downwardly and inwardly as saidmeans is slid upwardly, said meanscomprising an arch-shaped member, and meamiorsuspending an-irondetachably on said arch-shaped member above and adjacent the firstmentioned end of the ironing board whereby the weight of the iron willurge the arch-shaped member downwardly for urging the free end-oi theironing board to swing outwardly and upwardly to a horizontal position.a r r 2. A mounting for ironing boards comprising, in combination withanironing board and. an upright cabinet for containing the ironing-board,said cabinet including upright side walls having opposed inwardlyopening grooves, means-pivotally connected to the side edges of theironing slidably engaging said grooves, a pair of braces pivotallysupported at their lower ends in the bottom of the cabinet below saidmeans and pivotally connected at their upper ends to the ironing boardintermediate of the ends of the latter for causing the other, free endof the ironing board to swing outwardly and upwardly relatively to thecabinet as said means slides downwardly and for causing the free end ofthe ironing board to swing downwardly and inwardly as said means is slidupwardly, a bar secured in said cabinet for supporting the firstmentioned end of the ironing board when the ironing board is disposed inan extended position, latch means carried by said bar, and latch meanscarried by the ironing board for engaging the latch means of the bar asthe ironing board reaches a substantially horizontal, extended positionfor latching the ironing board in an extended position.

3. A mounting for ironing boards comprising, in combination with anironing board and an upright cabinet for containing the ironing board,said cabinet including upright side walls having opposed inwardlyopening grooves, means pivotally connected to the side edges of theironing board adjacent one end of the ironing board and slidablyengaging said grooves, a pair of braces pivotally supported at theirlower ends in the bottom of the cabinet below said means and pivotallyconnected at their upper ends to the ironing board intermediate of theends of the latter for causing the other, free end of the ironing boardto swing outwardly and upwardly relatively to the cabinet as said meansslides downwardly and for causing the free end of the ironing board toswing downwardly and inwardly as said means is slid upwardly, a barturnably mounted in said cabinet, latch means carried by said bar, latchmeans carried by the ironing board for engaging the latch means of thebar as the ironing board reaches a substantially horizontal, extendedposition for latching the ironing board in an extended position, andspring means connected to the bar and ironing board for turning the barin a direction to yieldably and detachably retain said latch means inengaged position when the ironing board is in an extended position.

4. A mounting for ironing boards comprising, in combination with anironing board and an upright cabinet for containing the ironing board,said cabinet including upright side walls having opposed inwardlyopening grooves, means pivotally connected to the side edges of theironing board adjacent one end oi! the ironing board and slidablyengaging said grooves, a pair of braces pivotally supported at theirlower ends in the bottom of the cabinet below said means and pivotallyconnected at their upper ends to the ironing board intermediate of theends of the latter for causing the other, free end of the ironing boardto swing outwardly and upwardly relatively to the cabinet as said meansslides downwardly and for causing the free end of the ironing board toswing downwardly and inwardly as said means is slid upwardly, said firstmentioned means including an arch member disposed above the ironingboard, a bar turnably mounted in said cabinet, latch means carried bysaid bar, latch means carried by the ironing board for engaging thelatch means of the bar as the ironing board reaches a substantiallyhorizontal, extended position for latching the ironing board in anextended position, spring means connected to the bar and ironing boardfor turning the bar in a direction to yieldably and detachably retainsaid latch means in engaged position when the ironing board is in anextended position, hangers pivotally mounted on said arch member andadapted to detachably support an electric iron for use with the ironingboard, the weight of the iron urging the ironing board toward anextended latched position, electrical contacts connected to a source ofelectric current and secured to said bar, and electrical contactselectrically connected to the electric iron and secured to the ironingboard in a postion to engage the electrical contacts secured to the barwhen the ironing board is latched in an extended position.

5. A mounting for ironing boards comprising, in combination with anironing board and an upright cabinet for containing the ironing board,said cabinet including upright side walls having opposed inwardlyopening grooves, means pivotally connected to the side edges of theironing board adjacent one end of the ironing board and slidablyengaging said grooves, a pair of braces pivotally supported at theirlower ends in the bottom of the cabinet below said means and pivotallyconnected at their upper ends to the ironing board intermediate of theends of the latter for causing the other, free end of the ironing boardto swing outwardly and upwardly relatively to the cabinet as said meansslides downwardly and for causing the free end of the ironing board toswing down wardly and inwardly as said means is slid upwardly, saidfirst mentioned means including an arch member disposed above theironing board, a bar turnably mounted in said cabinet, latch meanscarried by said bar, latch means carried by the ironing board forengaging the latch means of the bar as the ironing board reaches asubstantially horizontal, extended position for latching the ironingboard in an extended position, spring means connected to the bar andironing board for turning the bar in a direction to yieldably anddetachably retain said latch means in engaged position when the ironingboard is in an extended position, hangers pivotally mounted on said archmember and adapted to detachably support an electric iron for use withthe ironing board, the weight of the iron urging the ironing boardtoward an extended latched position, electrical contacts connected to asource of electric current and secured to said bar, and electricalcontacts electrically connected to the electric iron and secured to theironing board in a position to engage the electrical contacts secured tothe bar when the ironing board is latched in an extended position, saidironing board being provided with a panel having an electric socket andswitch interposed in said electric circuit between the electric iron andthe electric contacts connected to the ironing board, and said switchbeing operable for interrupting or making the electric circuit to theiron when the ironing board is in an extended, latched position.

DICK WOELKE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 561,245 Wagner June 2, 18961,558,409 Stienecker Oct. 20, 1925 1,625,354 Evans Apr. 19, 19271,659,280 Rieter Feb. 14, 1928 1,753,423 Kroschel Apr. \8, 19302,287,646 Steele June 23, 1942

